Means for retaining and releasing loads on logging-cars.



No. 695,357. v Patented Mar. ll, I902.

R. E. WHITE.

MEANS FOR RETAINING AND RELEASING LOADS 0N LOGGING CARS.

(Application filed Aug. 5, 1901.) (No Model.)

i G l 9 3 NTTnn STaTns PATENT FFICE.

ROBERT E. IVIIITE, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

MEANS FOR RETAINING AND RELEASING LOADS ON LOGGING-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,357, dated March11, 1902.

Application filed August 5, 1901. Serial No. 71,004. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoBERrE.Wn1rE,a citizen of the United States,residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forRetainingand Releasing Loads on Logging-Oars; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in logging-car stake supportingand releasing mechanism; and it consists of a clutch, partly carried byone of the stakes of a logging-car and the remainder carried by aportion of said car, whereby engagement of said parts will retain saidstake in a given position and disengagement thereof will permit of saidstake being moved from such position.

It also consists of certain other novel constructions, combinations, andarrangements of parts,as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 represents a top plan view of asupporting and releasing mechanism for logging-ear stakes embodying thefeatures of the present invention and shown applied to the transverseend beams of a car, the same being partly broken away. Fig. 2 representsa view in side elevation of the same, parts being shown in section. Fig.3 represents an enlarged detail view of one of the stakes carrying itshalf of the clutch, and Fig. 4 represents a similar view of the movablemember of the clutch mounted upon its squared shaft.

In the art of loading and unloading loggingcars it has been foundpreferable to provide stakes which may be raised to a vertical positionto retain the logs upon the car or lowered to a horizontal or preferablyinclined position to permit said logs being removed. This end has beenattained in numerous ways; but I have found it preferable to pivotallysecure a stake at each corner of a car in such man ner that it may beswung outwardly to the desired lowered position, and my presentinvention relates to means for retaining the stake so pivoted in anygiven position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 1 indicate,preferably,T-irons forming shafts extending longitudinally of alogging-car and at the sides thereof. Each of shafts 1 is provided ateach end with an integral or affixed annular head or flange, as at 2 2,which is secured in any preferred manner, as by bolts 3 3, to thetransverse end beams of the car, as 4 at. Each of shafts 1 is preferablysecured to the floor of the car by means of suitable braces 5 5, and isformed at either end with a rounded portion, as 6, and a squaredportion, as 7. Of course it will be understood that I may make theshafts 1 of any desired shape; but I prefer the T- irons, except at thepoints (i and 7, for the reason that this shape gives the greateststrength with a minimum of weight.

Revolubly mounted upon each of the cylindrical portions 6 is arrangedone member, as 8, of a clutch, preferably of the interlocking or meshingtype, which member is provided with suitable serrations in its face andcarries an extension or arm, as 9. The outer free end of arm 9 isadapted to carry a logsupporting stake, as 10, which owing to therotatable mounting of member 8 may be swung into any desired plane.Slidably mounted upon the squared portion 7 is the other member of theclutch, as at 11, which member has a correspondingly-serrated face tothat of member 8, which serrations are adapted to intermesh when the twomembers are brought into locking engagement. Obviously I may provide asdeep and large serrations as may be found desirable and necessary forattaining the best results. In order to govern member 11 in itslongitudinal travel,

a groove, as 12, is formed in squared portion 7, in which moves a log,as 13, carried by said member 11.

A lever-arm, as 14, is pivotally secured to each of shafts 1 and extendsto the opposite side of the car and is there provided with a suitableoperating-handle, as 15. The end of each lever 14 opposite to handle 15extends beyond its shaft 1 and is adapted to pivotally carry one end ofa link, as 16, the opposite end of which link is pivotally attached toits respective member 11 for moving the same with the operation of saidlever 14.. Intermediate the length of each of lovers L1 is pivotallysecured a link, as 17, similar to link 16 and pivoted to its respectivemember 11 at the opposite end of the car to that of links 16.

Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l, the carbeing loaded, and it being desired to unload the same, a swing of eachof levers lt longitudinally of shafts 1 will free the engagement ofmembers 11 of the clutches from members 8, whereby stakes 10 willreadily swing outwardly and downwardly away from the load of logs andpermit the same to be readily removed from the car. A great advantagewill be readily apparent in this lateral movement of stakes 10 in thatthe weight of the load will assist in operating the said stakes. It willbe obvious that if the load is to be removed from one side only of thecar, which is usually the case, only one of levers 14 would be operatedand the desired effect would be attained, one pair of the stakesremaining in a vertical position while the other pair moved to thelowered position, the operator standing on the opposite side of the carout of danger of harm from the fallingload. To again position the stakes10 after being lowered, the same have only to be lifted to the desiredangle with respect to the car-floor and levers 14 moved to the positionshown in Fig. 1, thus bringing the members of the clutches into lockingmesh. Of course I contemplate providing any desired means for retaininglevers 14 in the said position, if found desirable, the gripping effectof the two members of each of the clutches having a tendency to retainsaid levers in such position without auxiliary-means.

Although I have specifically set forth one particular embodiment of thepresent invention, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myselfto the exact construction and arrangement specified, but shall feel atliberty to deviate from the precise details of the invention within itsspirit and scope.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, i-s

1. Logging-car stake-controlling apparatus, comprising one member of aclutch carried by one of the stakes of a logging-car, the said stakebeing pivotally mounted upon one side of said car and adapted to swinglaterally therefrom, a second member to said clutch adapted to engagethe first member for preventing the pivoting of said stake in eitherdirection, and means for throwing said second clutch member into and outof engagement with said first clutch member, substantially as described.

2. In a logging-carstake-controlling apparatus, the combination with thefront and rear transverse beams of a logging-car, of shafts extendinglongitudinally of said car and having their ends secured to said beams,a clutch member revolubly mounted upon each end of each of said shafts,a lo -supporting stake carried by each of the said clutch members, alocking clutch member slidably mounted near each end of each of the saidshafts and adapted to engage said rotatable clutch memher for preventingrotation of the same, and means for sliding each of said locking clutchmembers longitudinally of its respective shaft for throwing the sameinto and out of locking engagement with its corresponding rotatableclutch member, substantially as described.

3. In a logging-car stake-controlling apparatus, the combination withthe front and rear transverse beams of a logging-car, of a shaftextending longitudinally of said car at either side thereof and securedat either end to said beams, a clutch member revolubly mounted at eachend of each of said shafts, a log-supporting stake rigidly secured toeach of said revoluble clutch members, a locking clutch member slidablymounted near each end of each of said shafts and adapted to engage itsrespective revoluble clutch member for preventing rotation of the same,means for throwing said clutch members into and out of lockingengagement with each other, the operation of the clutch members of oneshaft being independent of those of the other shaft, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a logging-car stake-controlling appa ratus, the combination withthe end transverse beams of a logging-car, of a shaft eX tendinglongitudinally of said car at either side thereof, an annular head orflange car ried by each end of each of said shafts, means securing saidflanges to said transverse beams, clutch members rotatably mounted neareach end of each of said shafts, a log-supporting stake rigidly affiXedto each of said clutch members, a slidable clutch member mounted tendinglongitudinally of said car at either side thereof, and having their endssecured to said beams, each of said shafts being formed with acylindrical portion at each end thereof, and a squared portion in therear of the cylindrical portion, said squared portion being formed witha longitudinal slot, a clutch member rotatably mounted upon each of saidcylindrical portions, and carrying a log-supporting stake, a lockingclutch member slidably mounted upon each of said squared portions, a lugcarried by said locking clutch member moving within the groove of saidsquared portion, and leveroperated links adapted to move the lockingclutch members of one of said shafts into and out of locking engagementwith their respective rotatable IIO clutch members independently ofthose of the positively in their adjusted position, substan- IO othershaft, substantially as described. tially as described.

6. A logging-car-stake apparatus, compris- In testimony whereof Ihereunto affix my ing pivoted stakes mounted on the car, a signature inpresence of two Witnesses. clutch member carried by each stake, acorresponding clutch member mounted opposite ROBERT each stake-clutch,and means for moving the Witnesses:

clutch into and out of engagement with the I JAMES T. VVATSON, clutcheson the stakes for holding the stakes JOHN J. KUsE.

